The Clueless Prince

Chapter 9: Awakening

A/N: Hehe, I should be sleeping...

Yay! Another chapter! If I can finish my assignment in time, you'll get four chapters! Otherwise, it'll just be three. Damn, I'm feeling tired, I think I'll be sleeping right after this. Oh, and I apologize for the cliff hanger in advance. HAHAHA.
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Standing before the King, I went down on one knee.

"I will prove my worth to you. Spare my life and I swear that you will never regret it." The King showed no emotions as he looked down at me. My heart was beating loudly in my chest as I stared at the ground wide-eyed.

This was my last chance. My only hope for survival. And it was in the hands of a tyrant.

And the second person who'd learned of my real identity.

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Al had his head bowed as the priest placed his hand on his head. He began chanting as Al's head glowed. The priest raised his hand, the light following his hand, before he clasped his hands, destroying it.

When the light particles flew all over Al, a sudden breeze rushed towards us. I shivered as I looked at Al with wide eyes. He opened his eyes and stared at his hands. And then he grinned.

Al had awakened.

Once he got up, the guests began congratulating him. Al thanked them with red cheeks before running up to me.

"Rael! I saw something right as I awakened! It was big, it had wings and it looked so—so—" He stuttered as he tried to think of the right words to say.

"Majestic?" Weiss jumped in.

"Ethereal?" Claus followed.

Al snapped his fingers. "That's right! Majestically ethereal!" I smiled at him.

"That sounds like something you'd see. Congratulations, Al." Claus and Weiss congratulated him too which made Al even more embarrassed.

"Oh come on, it's not that big of a deal, if you congratulate me more, my ego will grow!"

Weiss gasped. "Oh no, we can't have that! Quick, insult him so his ego deflates!"

Claus opened his mouth right as Al raised his hand. "Okay, don't say anything Claus, I'm genuinely scared of what you might say." Claus gave Al a smile and lightly slapped him on the back.

"You're the only one left to awaken, aren't you, Rael?" Weiss began. I looked up and nodded. Weiss smiled as he patted my shoulder.

"Well, aren't you excited? You were completely mesmerized when Al awakened, why do you look worried all of a sudden?" He poked my cheeks as I frowned.

Why was I worried? I slapped his hand away. Maybe because unlike these three, my awakening was also my death day.

A few months had passed since we last left the summer estate. I had returned home before growing bored and leaving to visit Yrd once more. I was gone so often that the attendants at home were surprised when they saw me walk around.

I had tried researching anything about the cause of death for illegitimate children— but nothing. Even the oldest of books, the ones where half its pages were as fragile as dust, mentioned it only in passing. Though, I now had a name for this.

Mein.

I hadn't expected to see that word again after curing Ru. When I thought about mein, an illness that causes mana to enter one's body until they eventually implode, I didn't know much about it. All I knew was that Ru had it and that it was rare for nobility to have it. But nobility with commoner blood in them? A 100% guaranteed chance to get it.